ashg dna essay contest

DNA Day Essay Contest

Ages: High School

Type: Submission

Scope: International

Evelyn Mantegani [email protected] 301-634-7351

Participate

National DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix of DNA in 1953. Teachers and students around the world are encouraged to celebrate by participating in the American Society of Human Genetics' (ASHG) annual DNA Day Essay Contest! The question each year aims to cover a current topic in genetics that may not be covered in biology class. Students are encouraged to work with their science and language arts teachers. Essays should be 750 words maximum. Winners and honorable mentions are announced on Friday, April 24, 2020.

This contest is open to students in grades 9-12 worldwide and asks students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics. Essays are expected to be well-reasoned arguments indicative of a depth of understanding of the concepts related to the essay question.

2020 Question

• Essays must be the product of an individual student's work;  group submissions are not permitted .
• All essays must be written in  English  and are limited to  750 words . Word count includes in-text citations, but does not include reference lists.
• Essay titles are optional and  will  be counted towards the word limit.
• Word count is best determined by Microsoft Word's count. The submission page will give an official word count when submitters enter the essay.
• Essays should  not  include a student's name.
• Essays must include  at least one reference . References must be clearly documented with both in-text citations and in the references list (the reference list should be separately entered into the "References" section of the submission page). Students may use either  APA  or  MLA  style citations. There is no restriction on how many references students may use. However, please keep in mind that students should avoid having too many references, as we want to know the student's opinion on the question and not the opinion of the student's sources.
• Low quality sources  = Wikipedia.
• High quality sources  = Research journals (for example, from  PubMed )

Website: http://www.ashg.org/education/dnaday.shtml

Managing Organization: American Society of Human Genetics

Contact: Evelyn Mantegani [email protected] 301-634-7351

Eligibility: Essays that will be accepted must be submitted by a teacher and written by high school students (grades 9-12) in the U.S. and internationally.

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• Contents (1)

In this episode,  Andrew Marderstein, PhD, co-chair of ASHG's Career Development Committee, interviews Christina Vallianatos, PhD, a member of ASHG's Public Education & Awareness Committee. She shares her experiences with DNA Day, volunteering as a judge for ASHG's DNA Day essay contest, and more.

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10 Amazing Tips to Help You Win ASHG's DNA Day Essay Contest

Participating in international essay contests can be a valuable experience as a high school student, providing you with an opportunity to showcase your writing skills, critical thinking abilities, and knowledge on specific subjects. Beyond the intrinsic rewards of intellectual growth and self-expression, such contests can also significantly boost a student's profile when applying to college. Colleges and universities often look for well-rounded individuals who have demonstrated excellence in various aspects of their academic and extracurricular pursuits, and winning an essay contest is a compelling testament to a student's intellectual passions.

One prominent essay contest that not only offers students a chance to demonstrate their abilities in writing but also potentially win prizes ranging from $1,000 to $100 is the DNA Essay Contest .   In this article, we will explore the structure, costs, prompt, eligibility, and other essential information about the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest. We'll also share 10 valuable tips that’ll help you put your best foot forward and hopefully win the contest! 

What is the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest?

The ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest is an annual contest organized by the American Society of Human Genetics . This contest aims to encourage high school students to explore and reflect on the advancements, implications, and ethical considerations of genetics. It provides a platform for students to express their thoughts on how genetics shapes our world and influences various aspects of our lives.

Teachers and students around the world are encouraged to celebrate “DNA Day” by participating in the American Society of Human Genetics' (ASHG) annual DNA Day Essay Contest. The essay question each year aims to cover a current topic in genetics that may not be covered in typical biology classes.

Structure of the contest

The contest involves submitting an essay on a specific prompt related to genetics that is updated annually. Participants are required to craft an original, well-researched, and thought-provoking essay that addresses the given topic. The essays are evaluated by a panel of experts in genetics and related fields.

How you will be judged

What are the reviewers looking for when evaluating the essays? The following rubric will give you a sense of how the essays are scored. 

The overall accuracy of the science content: 0-6

Use of evidence in support of an argument/answer; essay well-focused on the question/topic selected: 0-6

Writing quality (clear thesis, composition, grammar, syntax, spelling: 0-5

References and citations (quality and appropriateness): 0-3

Total Points: 0-20

One of the appealing aspects of the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest is that it is free to enter. This inclusivity ensures that students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can participate without any financial barriers. This aligns with the organization's commitment to promoting education and awareness in the field of human genetics.

What are the prizes?

The prizes range from $100 - 1000 dollars. 

$1,000 + $1,000 genetics materials grant for 1st Place Winner

$600 + $600 genetics materials grant for 2nd Place Winner

$400 + $400 genetics materials grant for 3rd Place Winner

$100 each for Honorable Mentions 10 students

The essay prompt for the contest varies each year, challenging participants to think critically about different aspects of genetics. The prompt is carefully crafted to encourage students to explore scientific concepts, ethical dilemmas, and societal implications related to genetics. It is crucial for participants to thoroughly understand and address the specific components of the prompt in their essays.

To give you a sense of the types of prompts typical of the DNA essay contest, the 2024 prompt is the following:

Many human diseases have a genetic component. Some diseases result from a change in a single gene or even multiple genes. Yet, many diseases are complex and stem from an interaction between genes and the environment. Environmental factors may include chemicals in the air or water, nutrition, microbes, ultraviolet radiation from the sun and social context. Provide an example of how the interplay of genetics and environment can shape human health.

Eligibility

The contest is open to high school students around the world. Participants must be in grades 9-12 and submit their essays by the specified deadline. 

The competition is not limited to students studying biology or genetics; students from diverse academic backgrounds are encouraged to participate. This inclusivity allows for a broad range of perspectives and insights, enriching the overall quality of the submissions.

Application Information and timelines

In early January the submission site opens and in early March 2024 the submission site closes. On April 25, 2024, DNA Day, the winners and honorable mentions are announced. To enter the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest, students need to visit the official contest website to get the most up-to-date information. The application process is streamlined and user-friendly, ensuring that students can easily navigate through the requirements and submit their essays electronically.

Now that we have covered the fundamental aspects of the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest, let's look at 10 tips that can significantly enhance your chances of winning:

Don’t overemphasize the details

Avoid sweeping overstatements in your essay

Avoid inaccuracy in technical language

Utilize in-text citations

Don’tuse of out-of-date references

Avoid excessive reliance on quotes

Address ethical considerations in your essay

  Avoid any inconsistency in your argumentation

Don’t ignore counterarguments - address them

Seek references from past essays and pay attention to the formatting guidelines

Participating in the ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest will provide you with a unique opportunity to explore the intricate world of genetics while honing your writing and critical thinking skills. By following the 10 tips outlined in this article, aspiring participants will enhance their chances of creating a compelling and winning essay. From thorough research and utilization of official resources to incorporating personal reflections and addressing ethical considerations, these tips are designed to guide you toward success in this prestigious competition.

As you embark on your essay-writing journey, remember that each entry is not just a chance to win but also an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding genetics and its profound impact on our world. This is an opportunity that you can use to reflect on with mentors in high school and in your future college admissions process. 

If you’d like to supplement your competitive experience with independent research, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs ! 

This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. 

You can find the application link here

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are passionate about research in biology and other STEM subjects, you could also consider applying to the   Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online program for students I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the   application form  here.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source: ASHG's DNA Day Essay Contest 2023 logo

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Realizing the benefits of human genetics and genomics research for people everywhere.

A Look into DNA Day as an Essay Contest Judge

Each year students, teachers, and genetics researchers around the world mark their calendars for April 25, DNA Day . This day marks milestones in the field of human genetics and encourages communities, students, and teachers to enhance their knowledge of this field. The ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest winners were announced with winners and honorable mentions from the United States, China, and New Zealand and over 700 submissions from over 30 U.S. states and 35 countries.

This year, ASHG continued to celebrate DNA Day with activities that included a social media campaign ; a new Discover Genetics fact sheet about the laws of inheritance; a Tik Tok video ; a panel on the Ask Science Reddit page about Mendelian and complex disorders; a webinar about sharing your research with the public; and a guide to hosting a lab tour with your local community. These resources were created to be incorporated into the celebrations of anyone looking to participate in DNA Day and expand their knowledge of human genetics. “Participating in AskScience Reddit forums is an opportunity to reach a new audience and empower the general public to learn more about human genetics research,” said Reddit panelist Pramod Mahajan, PhD. “This group is already informed and engaged in science discussion via the channel, so it was exciting to engage with them. There were thoughtful and challenging questions from around the world. It truly shows the level of excitement and curiosity there is for our field.”

ASHG spoke with essay reviewers and members of the Public Engagement & Awareness Committee (PEAC) Sharri Cyrus, MS, Pramod Mahajan, PhD, Joseph Shen, MD, PhD, and Christina Vallianatos, PhD about their experiences reviewing essays, what they hope students and teachers learn from participating in the contest, and how they celebrated DNA Day.

ASHG: What did you enjoy about reviewing this year’s essays?

Cyrus : It is always great to see when individuals can grasp and competently explain genetic concepts. It’s even more remarkable when these individuals are high school students. It was a pleasure reading this year’s essays, and definitely a learning experience as some essays presented interesting examples that I did not know of previously.

Mahajan : This year, I had the opportunity to serve as a reviewer for the final rounds.  Not surprisingly, therefore, I enjoyed the excellent quality of work submitted by each participant.  Students presented their arguments coherently, concisely, and clearly.  Citation of original research, not just NIH websites, was another highlight of all the essays I reviewed this year.  Kudos to the participants and their mentors!

Finally, I could hardly contain my joy when the results of the contest were announced; this year, for the first time, I had the honor of judging both the winner and the runner-up essays.  Interestingly, my ranking was also in the same order as the final results!!

Shen : I enjoyed being provided a window into the minds of high school students who are rapidly absorbing increasingly complex material that they are being taught. Their level of interest and excitement regarding genetics clearly comes through in their writing and reminds me of how enthusiastic I was in considering this field as my career choice when I was at the same age!

Vallianatos : One of my favorite things about reading DNA Day Essay Contest entries is getting a glimpse into how today’s students think through the prompt. I most enjoy seeing the misconceptions, the concepts that aren’t well understood. While these essays don’t usually make it to the top, I think they highlight areas where the scientific community can work to improve communication and education. For example, what I realized in reading this year’s essays is that while most students correctly grasp the concept that Mendelian disorders are single-gene, “complex diseases” was not always recognized as the term for multifactorial disorders. Many students often used the colloquial definition of “complex” to describe genetic disorders as hard to treat or difficult to understand. I’ll certainly think about this in my work as well as when talking with family and friends, especially when using scientific language that might also have everyday meanings.

ASHG: The aim of the question each year is to encourage students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics. What do you hope students and teachers took away from this year’s question?

Cyrus : I hope they have gained a new appreciation for how instrumental Mendel’s work has been in the development of modern genetics.

Mahajan : I hope that the participants and their mentors now appreciate the impact of Mendelian genetics on understanding, detecting, and managing or treating single-gene disorders. Additionally, I hope they are able to visualize the challenges and opportunities associated with detecting and managing multigenic disorders.  This, I hope, would inspire many young minds and they would pursue higher studies in this field.

Shen : I hoped that all of those involved in thinking about our DNA Day question appreciate that science is a never-ending process of learning, expanding upon concepts, and formulating and testing hypotheses to continue to evolve our knowledge. Importantly, it took seminal work such as that by Mendel to start us down the path that we are on, and genetics still is not close to being completely understood.

Vallianatos : I hope folks realize that genetics is more than Mendel and his peas. I also hope that this year’s question illustrates how knowledge builds and grows, and that seemingly “random” experiments on other organisms like plants can still inform us about human health and disease. Stay curious! Ask questions! You never know how your discoveries will connect to something bigger in the future.

ASHG: How else did you celebrate DNA Day?

Cyrus : A social media post about fun DNA facts!!

Mahajan : I participated in the AskScience Reddit panel discussion.  Additionally, I had an informal chat about the winner and runner-up essays with the undergraduate students in my lab.

Shen : The truthful answer is that we said “Happy DNA Day” to each other within our (clinical) genetics division.

Vallianatos : I had the honor of leading DNA Day celebrations at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) this year. Our JAX campuses shone brightly with multi-colored lights in recognition of DNA Day, we shared genetics trivia on Twitter & Instagram, published a Celebrate DNA Day toolkit , and more! Our Genomics Education team also runs a parallel essay contest where we encourage high school students from our Teaching the Genome Generation™ program to submit to both ASHG as well as to us; we awarded 2 top prizes this year!

To get involved in the DNA Day Essay Contest, add your name to the interest form on the Essay Contest page . Volunteer to be a member of the Genetics Education and Engagement (GENE) Network to connect with the science-interested public year-round.

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Log in to the ASHG Portal to submit or view your submission. 

Welcome to the 14th Annual DNA Day Essay Contest submission site!

The deadline to submit all essays is  Friday, March 8, 2019 at 5:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time

Keep in mind the following:

• You will need to create a profile in the ASHG web portal to submit an essay. You will be taken to the sign in page when you click "Submit Student Essays" (below) or "Login with ASHG" (to the left).  If you are already an ASHG member, please use your membership login information. Login instructions are provided , if needed. 
• Only classroom teachers or primary instructors of home-schooled students may submit student essays.
• All essays must be written in English and are limited to 750 words. Word count includes essay titles and in-text citations, but does not include reference lists.
• Do not include your student's name or any identifying information in their essay. 
• Each teacher is limited to submitting SIX student essays per class, for up to THREE classes.
• One entry may be submitted per student.

Submit Student Essay

2019 Question

Jonathan, age 50, has just been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease (HD). His genetic counselor, Karen, seeks Jonathan’s consent to disclose this diagnosis to his daughter, Sarah, who is 25. Jonathan refuses to allow Karen or anyone else on the medical staff to reveal this diagnosis to Sarah. (1) Present arguments for and against Jonathan's position by discussing the relevant goals, rights, and duties of each of the parties in this case. (2) Then choose one argument to defend, using your knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of HD.  This reading  includes explanations of these three categories involved in making a difficult decision. Be certain to use your knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of HD to support your views.

For more information about the DNA Day Essay Contest, visit our website .  Questions: Email Evelyn Mantegani at [email protected]

• News Releases

ASHG hosts fourth annual DNA Day essay contest, supports genetics education efforts

The American Society of Human Genetics announces high school student essay contest winners in celebration of National DNA Day on April 24, 2009

American Society of Human Genetics

BETHESDA, MD – April 24, 2009 – In celebration of National DNA Day, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) and the Genetics Society of America (GSA) have joined with corporate sponsor Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) through its Life Technologies™ Foundation, to educate students and teachers about important concepts in genetic science by hosting the fourth annual National DNA Day Essay Contest.

Celebrated annually on April 25, National DNA Day commemorates the discovery of DNA's double helix and the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003. The essay contest is just one of the many DNA Day activities designed to excite students about human genetics and help them gain a better understanding of the underlying scientific principles and research methods.

"ASHG's National DNA Day Essay Contest is an educational initiative that brings students and their teachers together with some of the best geneticists in the world," said Joann Boughman, Ph.D., executive vice president of ASHG. "Our organization coordinates the essay contest and other educational activities because, as the largest society for genetics professionals, we feel that it is important for us to raise awareness about the value of genetics education and research. ASHG is also committed to sharing a broader understanding of human genetics by reaching out to students in science classrooms around the world, in an effort to increase their excitement about and interest in the field."

ASHG's annual DNA Day Essay Contest challenges science students in grades 9-12 to question and reflect on key concepts of human genetics by writing an original essay that provides a substantive, well-reasoned argument about the genetic basis of various traits, including those related to health and disease. This year, ASHG received a total of 300 essay submissions from high school students in the U.S., Canada, and other countries, such as China, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Ghana. More than 150 geneticists from ASHG and GSA volunteered to judge the students' essays on the basis of critical thinking, scientific accuracy, creativity and organization.

"Most genetics units in high school contain little or no information about complex traits – which are those influenced by many different genes and the environment," said Michael Dougherty, Ph.D., Director of Education for ASHG. "This year's essay questions gave teachers a reason to talk about common diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and schizophrenia, which are the subject of much current research in genomics."

Today, in celebration of National DNA Day, ASHG and corporate sponsor Life Technologies Foundation announced the winners of the fourth annual DNA Day Essay Contest during the live online DNA Day 2009 Chatroom sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NHGRI/NIH). The students who submitted the top responses for each of the two essay contest questions were awarded $400; second place winners were awarded $250; and third place winners, $150. Teachers of the students who won first place prizes will each receive $2,000 to purchase new laboratory equipment for their science classrooms.

2009 NATIONAL DNA DAY ESSAY CONTEST STUDENT WINNERS:

High school students in grades 9-12 were invited to submit written essays on one of the following two questions. The first essay question asked students to explain the relationship between genes and traits. More specifically, students had to explain whether all inherited traits come in only two distinct varieties, or whether some traits have a more complex pattern of inheritance.

For the first essay question, ASHG and GSA judges awarded first place to Mehera Emrich, a senior from Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Calif. Emrich's essay explained the relationship between genes and traits, and she impressed the geneticist judges by contrasting modern scientific understanding with John Locke's philosophical construct that humans are born as a 'tabula rasa' or 'blank slate' that is 'filled in' by each person's environment. In her essay, Emrich acknowledged the importance of both heredity and the environment when she wrote, "Mendel greatly underestimated genetic complexity, while Locke grossly overestimated the impact of environmental influences on human development." She concluded her essay by stating that, "Perhaps it would be more correct to say that genes, by creating a living organism, provide a slate that has already been written on. With the passage of time the environment edits this writing, modifying the wording but maintaining the essence of the original document."

ASHG and GSA awarded second place to Laura Molina, a sophomore from Viera High School in Viera, Fla., for her answer to the first essay question. In her essay, Molina provided an insightful description of a variety of inheritance patterns that go beyond the 'either/or' types studied by Mendel. In her own words, Molina wrote that, "Not all traits come in just two varieties. Modes of inheritance like co-dominance, incomplete dominance, and epistasis involve intricate interactions between the expression of multiple alleles and/or genes that often result in the existence of three or more varieties of traits, such as human blood markers and flower color." Molina concluded her essay by affirming that, "Future investigation will probably uncover even more complex modes of inheritance and relationships between genes and traits that will improve our [current] understanding of genetics."

For the first essay contest question, ASHG and GSA awarded third place to Stephen Wang, a junior at the Charter School of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del., for his insightful description of the relationship between genes and traits. In his prize-winning essay, explained that, "Geneticists have discovered phenomena…showing that more than two variations are possible for any one given trait." Wang concluded his essay by noting that, "Therefore, not all traits for all species come in only two varieties. Often, these traits can come in 3 or 4, [or] maybe more variations, each the result of a complex genetic combination."

For the second of the two essay contest questions, the ASHG and GSA judges awarded first place to Michael Kovacs, a senior from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Md., for his response. In his essay, Kovacs wrote about obesity, using this health condition as an example to illustrate the complexity of the genetic and environmental interactions that can contribute to disease. In his own words, "Obesity, like so many other health risks, is the sum of a variety of conditions that add up to a life-threatening illness." Kovacs then described some of these 'conditions' or 'factors' that can cause disease. He concluded his essay with the following astute observation, stating that, "We cannot take the reductionist approach to health and disease by assigning just a single cause to a single problem. Genetics, infections, and the environment play some role in most diseases, and by understanding how they all work together to create so serious a problem as obesity, we can potentially provide better methods of treatment, prevention, and control of these diseases."

Jennifer Li, a junior at Enloe High School in Raleigh, N.C., won second place for her response to the second of the two essay contest questions. In her cleverly titled essay, "The Intricacy of Human Diseases: From the Pea to Phenylketonuria," Li adeptly illustrated her understanding of how certain environmental factors can influence human health and disease. She did so by describing the surprising complexity of phenylketonuria (or PKU), which is a rare, inherited single-gene disorder that affects a person's ability to properly metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine and, if left untreated, can cause problems with brain development that could lead to mental retardation. In her essay, Li gave a perceptive description of the complex nature of human disease when she explained that, "In general, human diseases are the result of manifold and intertwining factors." Li concluded her essay with the following observation that, "[An] intricate web of multiple genetic and environmental factors all play a role in disease development."

Sharon Hartzell, a junior from Chenango Forks High School in Binghamton, N.Y., won third place for her response to the second essay question. In her essay, Hartzell explained the delicate balance between genes and environment to convey an accurate understanding of the causes of human health and disease. In her own words, Hartzell described that, "Human disease is influenced in its transmission and in its manifestation by both our internal and external environments...Both heritable and infectious diseases are strongly influenced by both genetics and the external environment, and an understanding of this relationship is crucial to human health." Hartzell concluded her essay by stating that, "Those at risk for heritable diseases strongly influenced by environmental factors, such as cancer and heart disease, can cultivate healthy habits to prevent the onset of disease."

For more information about the National DNA Day Essay Contest, please visit the education section of ASHG's Web site at: http://www.ashg.org/education/dnaday_winners_2009.shtml

About National DNA Day National DNA Day occurs annually on April 25 to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA's double helix, and to commemorate the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003. Genetics researchers, clinicians, hospitals, professional organizations, private companies, advocates, academicians and schools across the U.S. host various activities and events on National DNA Day in a coordinated effort to engage and inform students about genomics, and inspire the next generation of scientists who will use genetics research to benefit personal and public health. For more information about National DNA Day, please visit: http://www.ashg.org/education .

About The American Society of Human Genetics Founded in 1948, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) is the primary professional membership organization for human genetics specialists worldwide. The nearly 8,000 members of ASHG include researchers, academicians, clinicians, laboratory practice professionals, genetic counselors, nurses and others involved in or with a special interest in human genetics. The Society's mission is to serve research scientists, health professionals and the public by providing forums to: (1) share research results through the Society's Annual Meeting and in the American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG); (2) advance genetic research by advocating for research support; (3) educate current and future genetics professionals, health care providers, advocates, policymakers, educators, students and the general public about all aspects of human genetics; and (4) promote genetic services and support responsible social and scientific policies. For more information about ASHG, please visit: http://www.ashg.org .

About The Genetics Society of America Founded in 1931, The Genetics Society of America (GSA) includes over 4,000 scientists and educators interested in the field of genetics. The Society promotes the communication of advances in genetics through publication of the journal GENETICS, and by sponsoring scientific meetings focused on key organisms widely used in genetic research. The GSA supports genetic science education for students of all ages and advocates for genetic science research funding via the Joint Steering Committee, an organization of several scientific societies that informs Congress about the importance of scientific research. For more information, please visit: http://www.genetics-gsa.org .

About Life Technologies Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2008, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com .

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Log in to the ASHG Portal to submit or view your submission. 

Accessing your Round 1 essays:

Log in to the ASHG portal through the button on the left side of the screen labeled "Login with ASHG". Your username is the email address associated with your membership

Select "My Reviewing Assignments" from the table on the left side of the screen

• Accept means you judge this essay as fit to move on to Round 2, in which judges will read through the essays more thoroughly and score with a provided rubric.
• Decline means you judge this essay as not fit to move on to Round 2. 

Round 1 judging ends on  Monday, March 18 at 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time .

If you cannot remember your username or password, please contact [email protected] .

Judging Tips

• The goal of Round 1 is to eliminate essays that are clearly of lower quality
• Accept/decline an essay based on your overall sense of how well a student grasps and explains the concepts addressed by the question, and by the overall quality of the writing
• Essays were randomly assigned and may be above average or below average
• There is no minimum or maximum number of essays that you must accept or decline

Essay Question:

Many human diseases have a genetic component. Some diseases result from a change in a single gene or even multiple genes. Yet, many diseases are complex and stem from an interaction between genes and the environment. Environmental factors may include chemicals in the air or water, nutrition, microbes, ultraviolet radiation from the sun and social context. Provide an example of how the interplay of genetics and environment can shape human health.

If you have any questions, please contact  [email protected] .